Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kisvarda Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kisvarda

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $926 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,273 in Kisvarda, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,381 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,934 in Kisvarda, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,595 in Kisvarda, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 27% cheaper than Kisvarda, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Kisvarda are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Kisvarda 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿70.6

$9.42 Ft 3,082

-77.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.22 ฿645

$48.70 Ft 15.9K

-60.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 ฿184

$10.08 Ft 3,297

-45.73%

Cappuccino

$1.69 ฿56.6

$2.21 Ft 722

-23.53%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 ฿21.71

$1.21 Ft 397

-46.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$0.90 Ft 294

-65.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿77.8

$1.81 Ft 593

28.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 ฿131

$2.37 Ft 775

64.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ฿69.3

$1.28 Ft 419

61.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 ฿51.4

$1.48 Ft 484

3.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 ฿41.93

$2.52 Ft 825

-50.40%

Eggs

$2.19 ฿73.6

$3.58 Ft 1,171

-38.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.94 ฿535

$10.56 Ft 3,452

50.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.7

$7.02 Ft 2,295

-60.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.74 ฿327

$15.77 Ft 5,157

-38.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.66 ฿89.1

$2.06 Ft 672

29.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 ฿35.32

$2.16 Ft 707

-51.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.6

$2.06 Ft 672

-19.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ฿49.49

$3.59 Ft 1,174

-58.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.73

$0.99 Ft 325

22.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.95

$1.23 Ft 403

-10.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.50

$1.62 Ft 530

-53.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.66

$0.53 Ft 174

-5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ฿147

$7.32 Ft 2,395

-40.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.50 ฿587

$4.10 Ft 1,340

326.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ฿55.7

$1.29 Ft 422

28.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.2

$2.21 Ft 723

25.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.88

$1.15 Ft 376

-25.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.7 ฿1,803

$24.50 Ft 8,009

119.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ฿40.87

$3.23 Ft 1,058

-62.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ฿18.80

$1.49 Ft 489

-62.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 ฿78.6

$12.59 Ft 4,117

-81.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.57

$1.86 Ft 608

-22.04%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.1K ฿706.4K

$33.2K Ft 10.9M

-36.68%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.3K ฿882.3K

$36.6K Ft 12.0M

-28.07%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$63.6 ฿2,133

$160 Ft 52.2K

-60.15%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$12.56 ฿422

$26.38 Ft 8,625

-52.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.04 ฿672

$21.51 Ft 7,033

-6.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.73 ฿1,299

$46.51 Ft 15.2K

-16.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.80 ฿127

$19.85 Ft 6,490

-80.86%

Cinema Ticket

$6.47 ฿217

$9.78 Ft 3,199

-33.84%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$777 ฿26.1K

$411 Ft 134.3K

89.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿489.1K

$11.0K Ft 3.6M

32.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.2 ฿1,853

$88.9 Ft 29.1K

-37.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.77 ฿831

$33.17 Ft 10.8K

-25.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 ฿3,029

$88.5 Ft 28.9K

1.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,467

$104 Ft 33.9K

-29.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 ฿15.6K

$531 Ft 173.5K

-12.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 ฿9,601

$426 Ft 139.4K

-32.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$866 ฿29.0K

$688 Ft 224.9K

25.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$525 ฿17.6K

$722 Ft 236.0K

-27.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,978 ฿66.4K

$2,769 Ft 905.5K

-28.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,461 ฿49.0K

$2,952 Ft 965.1K

-50.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$581 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.9

-19.28%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 26, 2026

Last update for Kisvarda: September 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $466 in Chiang Mai versus $531 in Kisvarda. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $49.00 in Kisvarda. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $253 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chiang Mai vs Kisvarda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kisvarda costs about 38% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,909 in Kisvarda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $777 per month in Chiang Mai and $411 in Kisvarda. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Kisvarda, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $926, than in Kisvarda at $1,273. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kisvarda it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $926 versus $1,273 in Kisvarda. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kisvarda makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.